Wednesday, December 20, 2017

EU launch disciplinary proceedings against Poland over judicial reforms

The European Commission
The European Commission has launched unprecedented disciplinary proceedings against Poland over its highly controversial judicial reforms, which Brussels says threaten the rule of law.


"It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to initiate Article 7.1. But the facts leave us with no choice," Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans told reporters in Brussels.

The commission, the EU's executive arm, is activating article seven of the bloc's treaty, a never-before-used disciplinary procedure that could ultimately lead to Poland losing its voting rights in the EU.

Mr Timmermans said that 13 laws adopted by Poland in the space of two years had created a situation where the government "can systematically politically interfere with the composition, powers, the adminstration and the functioning" of judicial authorities.

Poland's right-wing government began making changes to the judiciary after coming to power in late 2015, and have said the reforms are needed to combat corruption and overhaul the judicial system still haunted by the communist era.

Mr Timmermans said Warsaw had ignored three recommendations by the commission, and Brussels had a duty to act - even if it would be presented by some as an attack on Poland.

"At the end of the day it is only the law that can protect us against naked political power, at the end of the day it is the law that keeps the European Union together," he said.

Poland has denounced the decision.

"Poland deplores the European Commission's launch of the procedure foreseen in Article 7, which is essentially political, not legal" in nature, the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that it risks undermining "mutual trust".
 [rte.ie]
 20/12/17

1 comment:

  1. État de droit en Pologne : l'UE déclenche une procédure pouvant priver Varsovie de ses droits de vote...

    La Commission européenne engage une procédure sans précédent contre la Pologne, pouvant aller jusqu'à priver le pays de ses droits de vote au sein de l'UE, en raison de son refus d'infléchir ses réformes judiciaires controversées.

    Alors que la Pologne mène depuis plusieurs mois des réformes controversées visant à accroître le contrôle de l'exécutif sur le pouvoir judiciaire, la Commission européenne a annoncé mercredi 20 décembre qu'elle engageait une procédure contre Varsovie.

    L'exécutif européen "a conclu aujourd'hui qu'il y a un risque clair d'une violation grave de l'État de droit en Pologne", a-t-elle indiqué dans un communiqué, précisant qu'il avait par conséquent déclenché l'article 7 du traité de l'UE, encore jamais utilisé.

    "Les réformes judiciaires en Pologne signifient que la justice du pays est désormais sous le contrôle politique de la majorité au pouvoir. En absence d'indépendance judiciaire, de graves questions sont soulevées quant à l'application effective du droit européen", poursuit l'exécutif européen.
    france24.com

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